{"id":"delta-drive.what-is-a-synced-folder-in-delta-drive","url":"/faq/delta-drive/what-is-a-synced-folder-in-delta-drive","category":{"id":"delta-drive","title":"Delta Drive, Delta Trust & My Drive"},"subcategory":{"id":"linked-folders","title":"Linked folders and copies"},"question":"What is a synced folder in Delta Drive, and how is it different from a linked folder?","alt_questions":["Two-way sync a Mac folder with Delta Drive","Sync a folder both ways","Keep a folder the same on my Mac and Delta Drive","Mac to Drive or Drive to Mac sync","How do I stop syncing a folder?","Can I keep a folder on my Mac in sync with my drive?","Will a synced folder delete my files?","What happens if a file changed on both sides of a sync?","Does folder syncing drain my battery?"],"short_answer":"A synced folder keeps a folder on your Mac and one in your drive the same — Both ways, Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac. Anything a sync removes goes to a Trash, never erased. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both.","answer_markdown":"A synced folder lives on your Mac *and* in your drive, and a change on either side — a new file, an edit, a deletion — is made on the other side too. A linked folder only ever copies from your Mac to the drive and never deletes anything there.\n\n1. Open the folder in Delta Drive where you want it, and choose **Add ▸ Sync a folder…**.\n2. Pick the Mac folder, check its name in the drive, and choose **Both ways** (recommended), **Mac → Drive** or **Drive → Mac**.\n3. Choose **Start syncing**.\n\nNothing a sync removes is erased: it goes to your Mac's Trash or the drive's Trash. When both sides changed a file, **Newer wins** by default, or choose **Keep both**. **Stop syncing…** deletes nothing.\n\nIt's light on your Mac: it waits until you stop changing files and holds off while your Mac is busy, hot, on low battery or on a metered connection. **Sync now** always runs.\n\nSee [why a sync stopped to ask](/faq/delta-drive/why-did-my-synced-folder-stop-and-ask).","answer_html":"

A synced folder lives on your Mac and in your drive, and a change on either side — a new file, an edit, a deletion — is made on the other side too. A linked folder only ever copies from your Mac to the drive and never deletes anything there.

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  1. Open the folder in Delta Drive where you want it, and choose Add ▸ Sync a folder….
  2. Pick the Mac folder, check its name in the drive, and choose Both ways (recommended), Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac.
  3. Choose Start syncing.
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Nothing a sync removes is erased: it goes to your Mac's Trash or the drive's Trash. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both. Stop syncing… deletes nothing.

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It's light on your Mac: it waits until you stop changing files and holds off while your Mac is busy, hot, on low battery or on a metered connection. Sync now always runs.

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See why a sync stopped to ask.

","answer_text":"A synced folder lives on your Mac and in your drive, and a change on either side — a new file, an edit, a deletion — is made on the other side too. A linked folder only ever copies from your Mac to the drive and never deletes anything there.\n\n1. Open the folder in Delta Drive where you want it, and choose Add ▸ Sync a folder….\n2. Pick the Mac folder, check its name in the drive, and choose Both ways (recommended), Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac.\n3. Choose Start syncing.\n\nNothing a sync removes is erased: it goes to your Mac's Trash or the drive's Trash. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both. Stop syncing… deletes nothing.\n\nIt's light on your Mac: it waits until you stop changing files and holds off while your Mac is busy, hot, on low battery or on a metered connection. Sync now always runs.\n\nSee why a sync stopped to ask.","tags":["sync","synced folders","linked folders","two-way sync"],"related":[{"id":"delta-drive.how-do-i-link-a-folder-on-my-mac-to-delta-drive","question":"How do I link any folder on my Mac to Delta Drive?","url":"/faq/delta-drive/how-do-i-link-a-folder-on-my-mac-to-delta-drive"},{"id":"delta-drive.if-i-delete-a-file-on-my-mac-is-it-deleted-from-delta-drive","question":"If I delete a file on my Mac, is it deleted from Delta Drive too?","url":"/faq/delta-drive/if-i-delete-a-file-on-my-mac-is-it-deleted-from-delta-drive"}],"applies_to":"all","wiki":"/wiki/synced-folders","last_reviewed":"2026-10-29","title":"What is a synced folder in Delta Drive, and how is it different from a linked folder? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"A synced folder keeps a folder on your Mac and one in your drive the same — Both ways, Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac. Anything a sync removes goes to a Trash, never erased. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Delta Drive, Delta Trust & My Drive","path":"/faq/delta-drive/"},{"name":"What is a synced folder in Delta Drive, and how is it different from a linked folder?","path":"/faq/delta-drive/what-is-a-synced-folder-in-delta-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/delta-drive/what-is-a-synced-folder-in-delta-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-29","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is a synced folder in Delta Drive, and how is it different from a linked folder?","alternateName":["Two-way sync a Mac folder with Delta Drive","Sync a folder both ways","Keep a folder the same on my Mac and Delta Drive","Mac to Drive or Drive to Mac sync","How do I stop syncing a folder?","Can I keep a folder on my Mac in sync with my drive?","Will a synced folder delete my files?","What happens if a file changed on both sides of a sync?","Does folder syncing drain my battery?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A synced folder lives on your Mac and in your drive, and a change on either side — a new file, an edit, a deletion — is made on the other side too. A linked folder only ever copies from your Mac to the drive and never deletes anything there.\n\n1. Open the folder in Delta Drive where you want it, and choose Add ▸ Sync a folder….\n2. Pick the Mac folder, check its name in the drive, and choose Both ways (recommended), Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac.\n3. Choose Start syncing.\n\nNothing a sync removes is erased: it goes to your Mac's Trash or the drive's Trash. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both. Stop syncing… deletes nothing.\n\nIt's light on your Mac: it waits until you stop changing files and holds off while your Mac is busy, hot, on low battery or on a metered connection. Sync now always runs.\n\nSee why a sync stopped to ask.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/delta-drive/what-is-a-synced-folder-in-delta-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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Delta Drive, Delta Trust & My Drive · Linked folders and copies

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What is a synced folder in Delta Drive, and how is it different from a linked folder?

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Short answer: A synced folder keeps a folder on your Mac and one in your drive the same — Both ways, Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac. Anything a sync removes goes to a Trash, never erased. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both.

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A synced folder lives on your Mac and in your drive, and a change on either side — a new file, an edit, a deletion — is made on the other side too. A linked folder only ever copies from your Mac to the drive and never deletes anything there.

\n
  1. Open the folder in Delta Drive where you want it, and choose Add ▸ Sync a folder….
  2. Pick the Mac folder, check its name in the drive, and choose Both ways (recommended), Mac → Drive or Drive → Mac.
  3. Choose Start syncing.
\n

Nothing a sync removes is erased: it goes to your Mac's Trash or the drive's Trash. When both sides changed a file, Newer wins by default, or choose Keep both. Stop syncing… deletes nothing.

\n

It's light on your Mac: it waits until you stop changing files and holds off while your Mac is busy, hot, on low battery or on a metered connection. Sync now always runs.

\n

See why a sync stopped to ask.

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Read the full guide →

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Last reviewed

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